ZL1 vs Roush RS3? - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Flea · 04-21-2013, 02:37 PM

Hey guys. I've been talking to the Mrs. about trading in her Ford Edge Limited and my Harley Ultra Limited on another car. We have a '13 ZL1 convertible, and I absolutely love the car. She and my 2-year old daughter love it too. Because I work out of state and want to spend as much time with the family as I can when I'm home, I hardly ride my Harley anymore. As much fun as it is riding, I have just as much fun playing around with the ZL1, especially with the top down. I can drive the ZL1 more often than I can ride the Harley, so that's why I'm considering the trade. Anyway, since the ZL1 we have is a convertible and automatic, I was thinking about getting a ZL1 coupe with a manual, just as a way to change things up and make it different. The convertible would become my wife's daily driver. The thought of getting the manual coupe to make it different got me thinking about Mustangs. I've always been a Ford guy. The ZL1 is my first Chevy. I first started looking at the Shelby, which I highly respect because of it's sheer power. I then started looking at the Roush RS3, which is less money than the Shelby and seems to be about on par with the ZL1 in regards to power (the '14 RS3 is 575hp/505tq). The Roush is also priced similar to the ZL1. Can anyone give a comparison between the ZL1 and the Roush RS3? I really think it would be cool to have a beast in the garage from both Chevy and Ford.

LuckyZL-1 · 04-21-2013, 02:52 PM

A friend has one and he loves it. The main complaint he has is warranty work. It's a pain he says because its 3rd party so when he takes to Ford dealer they in turn have to contact Roush and the waiting begins. Unlike a ZL-1 or a Shelby for instance that will get serviced ASAP by the dealer. I'm not saying that the Roush is a bad car or Fords are no good matter of fact I have a Harley Davidson pickup in my stable. I'm just saying they all break down at one point or another but in the case of the Roush it's an extra pain on top.

tones2SS · 04-21-2013, 03:50 PM

I traded my Hugger Orange SS with white leather for a 2013 Roush Stage 3 and I love it. Took it out this morning as a matter of fact. Great, great car. A blast to drive and really comfortable.
As far as warranty work goes, if you have a Roush dealer nearby, you're good to go. (I do, about 25 miles away.) If a Roush part goes, you bring it to them and then it gets repaired as normal. But, if a non-Roush part goes, you can bring it in into any Ford dealer for repairs. For example, a power window goes or the stereo goes, you can bring it to any Ford dealer for those warranty repairs.
I bought my Roush from Ray Skillman Ford in Indiana and was in touch with the performance manager there, whom was my go-to guy. Highly recommended.
Did I mention the car is a beast and fun to drive? lol

P.S. You can pm me if you have any more questions.

Flea · 04-21-2013, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuckyZL-1

A friend has one and he loves it. The main complaint he has is warranty work. It's a pain he says because its 3rd party so when he takes to Ford dealer they in turn have to contact Roush and the waiting begins. Unlike a ZL-1 or a Shelby for instance that will get serviced ASAP by the dealer. I'm not saying that the Roush is a bad car or Fords are no good matter of fact I have a Harley Davidson pickup in my stable. I'm just saying they all break down at one point or another but in the case of the Roush it's an extra pain on top.

That's a good point that I hadn't thought about. I wonder if the issue would be the same if the car is taken to a dealer that orders and sells Roush vehicles themself, rather than just any Ford dealer.

mikeyg36 · 04-21-2013, 04:36 PM

I'd get the GT500 or the ZL1.

Stack4 · 04-21-2013, 06:17 PM

I've always thought the Stage 3's were one of the best looking cars out there. You could get the new "Aluminator" option to get either 625 HP or 675 HP (about $8,300).

cvp33 · 04-21-2013, 07:55 PM

I just hate the Mustang interior. I thought about buying a 5.0 and then throwing a S/C on it to get to 500rwhp (very doable BTW). We rented a convertible Mustang for a weekend and the interior just sucked.

Flea · 04-21-2013, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stack4

I've always thought the Stage 3's were one of the best looking cars out there. You could get the new "Aluminator" option to get either 625 HP or 675 HP (about $8,300).

Of the aftermarket performance Mustangs, I think the RS3 is the best looking too. The only thing I don't like about it is the hood scoop. It looks really good, but I don't like that it's non-functional. I'm not a big fan of stick-on parts that serve no purpose. I know the hood scoop can be deleted (although it doesn't decrease the price any), so I might would do that if I ordered one.

The Aluminator would be great, but I'd need to decide beforehand how powerful I'd want to get the car. It may not be worth it, if I don't plan to go higher than the 575 hp with the regular Stage 3.

Flea · 04-21-2013, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cvp33

I just hate the Mustang interior. I thought about buying a 5.0 and then throwing a S/C on it to get to 500rwhp (very doable BTW). We rented a convertible Mustang for a weekend and the interior just sucked.

I think the interior is pretty sorry too, when it doesn't have the MyFord Touch in it. It just looks cheap without it. The interior is one of the reasons I chose the ZL1 over the Shelby. One thing I like about the RS3 is that you can upgrade the interior of the Mustang to have pretty much the same things that make the ZL1 interior so nice looking. I have to say that I absolutely love the interior of my '13 F150 Limited, but I know it's quite different from the Mustangs.

tones2SS · 04-21-2013, 09:02 PM

FWIW, I think the Mustang interior is awesome. My interior is the upgraded premium interior with leather and suede interior and matching green stitching. I went with that instead of the Recaro seats.
Like you said Flea, you can order the hood scoop delete, but I think it looks killer with the scoop, even if it is non-functional.
The Aluminator package is pretty nasty, but that is an "post title" option. They have to title the car first and that power upgrade is added after it leaves Roush. Not sure as to how the warranty works with that. You can get the stage 2 upgrade for the Roush Stage 3. That incorporates a new pulley, a better cai and a retune. That puts you at 630 at the crank, which is a little over 1k. I was all ready to do this and had all the paperwork written out for it, when we realized that it would not pass MA emissions. I was furious and still am. I could have gotten it done and then they would have put the "stock" tune on another tuner and just retune it before going to the yearly car inspection. Obviously, I opted out of it, just to be safe.
But, I may do some modding after the warranty is up and try for about 650 at the crank or more, if safe enough. The torque will be way up there as well. We'll see.

Flea · 04-21-2013, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tones2SS

FWIW, I think the Mustang interior is awesome. My interior is the upgraded premium interior with leather and suede interior and matching green stitching. I went with that instead of the Recaro seats.
Like you said Flea, you can order the hood scoop delete, but I think it looks killer with the scoop, even if it is non-functional.
The Aluminator package is pretty nasty, but that is an "post title" option. They have to title the car first and that power upgrade is added after it leaves Roush. Not sure as to how the warranty works with that. You can get the stage 2 upgrade for the Roush Stage 3. That incorporates a new pulley, a better cai and a retune. That puts you at 630 at the crank, which is a little over 1k. I was all ready to do this and had all the paperwork written out for it, when we realized that it would not pass MA emissions. I was furious and still am. I could have gotten it done and then they would have put the "stock" tune on another tuner and just retune it before going to the yearly car inspection. Obviously, I opted out of it, just to be safe.
But, I may do some modding after the warranty is up and try for about 650 at the crank or more, if safe enough. The torque will be way up there as well. We'll see.

I saw another car in your color with that interior, and I loved the black with green stitching.

Thanks for the helpful input. Nice to get some info from someone who has one. Now go buy a ZL1 and compare them for me.

NASTY99Z28 · 04-22-2013, 12:26 AM

If your going to buy it brand new and you don't kind dropping 50k+ then either grab another zl1 or if you choose to add a stang to your stable you might as well swing for the gt500 and have the two best pony cara ever made IMO. Either way all 3 cars are awesome and are great platforms to add on to so pick your poison and keep us posted.

hognutz · 04-22-2013, 01:05 AM

I would get the gt500. The roush is kind of like the callaway camaro to me. they do some good things in some area's and then just leave the brakes and other things alone.

Some peopel will like them but the hood is stupid, the brakes are stock, it is still an expensive car. they are just not my cup of tea.

I like my my coupe and all but if I had a ZL1 vert I would get a GT500 coupe or vice versa. both cars are just bad so why not have one of each.

zl1bro · 04-22-2013, 09:50 AM

I almost bought a Roush a few years back but a bunch of my buddies talked me out of it because of the resale issue. They told me that the Roush mustangs depreciate much faster than the GT500 or the ZL1. One thing is for sure, they are not inexpensive..

04-21-2013, 02:37 PM	#1
Flea Drives: Camaro ZL1 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: South Carolina Posts: 199	ZL1 vs Roush RS3? Hey guys. I've been talking to the Mrs. about trading in her Ford Edge Limited and my Harley Ultra Limited on another car. We have a '13 ZL1 convertible, and I absolutely love the car. She and my 2-year old daughter love it too. Because I work out of state and want to spend as much time with the family as I can when I'm home, I hardly ride my Harley anymore. As much fun as it is riding, I have just as much fun playing around with the ZL1, especially with the top down. I can drive the ZL1 more often than I can ride the Harley, so that's why I'm considering the trade. Anyway, since the ZL1 we have is a convertible and automatic, I was thinking about getting a ZL1 coupe with a manual, just as a way to change things up and make it different. The convertible would become my wife's daily driver. The thought of getting the manual coupe to make it different got me thinking about Mustangs. I've always been a Ford guy. The ZL1 is my first Chevy. I first started looking at the Shelby, which I highly respect because of it's sheer power. I then started looking at the Roush RS3, which is less money than the Shelby and seems to be about on par with the ZL1 in regards to power (the '14 RS3 is 575hp/505tq). The Roush is also priced similar to the ZL1. Can anyone give a comparison between the ZL1 and the Roush RS3? I really think it would be cool to have a beast in the garage from both Chevy and Ford. __________________

04-21-2013, 03:50 PM	#3
tones2SS Drives: '13 Roush S3 '16 Ram Sport 4X4 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 3,096	I traded my Hugger Orange SS with white leather for a 2013 Roush Stage 3 and I love it. Took it out this morning as a matter of fact. Great, great car. A blast to drive and really comfortable. As far as warranty work goes, if you have a Roush dealer nearby, you're good to go. (I do, about 25 miles away.) If a Roush part goes, you bring it to them and then it gets repaired as normal. But, if a non-Roush part goes, you can bring it in into any Ford dealer for repairs. For example, a power window goes or the stereo goes, you can bring it to any Ford dealer for those warranty repairs. I bought my Roush from Ray Skillman Ford in Indiana and was in touch with the performance manager there, whom was my go-to guy. Highly recommended. Did I mention the car is a beast and fun to drive? lol P.S. You can pm me if you have any more questions. __________________

04-21-2013, 07:55 PM	#7
cvp33 America FVCK Yeah! Drives: 2024 Z06 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Salisbury, NC Posts: 1,405	I just hate the Mustang interior. I thought about buying a 5.0 and then throwing a S/C on it to get to 500rwhp (very doable BTW). We rented a convertible Mustang for a weekend and the interior just sucked. __________________ 1997 Z28 Anniversary Edition *SOLD* 2004 GTO *ORDER CANCELLED* 2004 CTS-V *SOLD* 2005 CTS-V *SOLD* 2006 300C SRT-8 *SOLD* 2006 300C SRT-8 *SOLD* 2010 CTS-V *SOLD* 2012 CTS-V coupe *SOLD* 2013 ZL1 vert *SOLD* 2016 Callaway Z06 *SOLD* 2019 Z06 *SOLD* 2021 ZL1 1LE *SOLD*

04-21-2013, 09:02 PM	#10
tones2SS Drives: '13 Roush S3 '16 Ram Sport 4X4 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 3,096	FWIW, I think the Mustang interior is awesome. My interior is the upgraded premium interior with leather and suede interior and matching green stitching. I went with that instead of the Recaro seats. Like you said Flea, you can order the hood scoop delete, but I think it looks killer with the scoop, even if it is non-functional. The Aluminator package is pretty nasty, but that is an "post title" option. They have to title the car first and that power upgrade is added after it leaves Roush. Not sure as to how the warranty works with that. You can get the stage 2 upgrade for the Roush Stage 3. That incorporates a new pulley, a better cai and a retune. That puts you at 630 at the crank, which is a little over 1k. I was all ready to do this and had all the paperwork written out for it, when we realized that it would not pass MA emissions. I was furious and still am. I could have gotten it done and then they would have put the "stock" tune on another tuner and just retune it before going to the yearly car inspection. Obviously, I opted out of it, just to be safe. But, I may do some modding after the warranty is up and try for about 650 at the crank or more, if safe enough. The torque will be way up there as well. We'll see. __________________

04-22-2013, 12:26 AM	#12
NASTY99Z28 Drives: 99z28 with bolt-ons and a mwc fab 9 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Florida Posts: 1,277	If your going to buy it brand new and you don't kind dropping 50k+ then either grab another zl1 or if you choose to add a stang to your stable you might as well swing for the gt500 and have the two best pony cara ever made IMO. Either way all 3 cars are awesome and are great platforms to add on to so pick your poison and keep us posted. __________________ I like my woman like my milk shakes, THICK!!!!

04-21-2013, 02:52 PM	#2
LuckyZL-1 Ragtop Rocket!!! Drives: Black on Black Convertible Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: San Antonio Texas Posts: 809	A friend has one and he loves it. The main complaint he has is warranty work. It's a pain he says because its 3rd party so when he takes to Ford dealer they in turn have to contact Roush and the waiting begins. Unlike a ZL-1 or a Shelby for instance that will get serviced ASAP by the dealer. I'm not saying that the Roush is a bad car or Fords are no good matter of fact I have a Harley Davidson pickup in my stable. I'm just saying they all break down at one point or another but in the case of the Roush it's an extra pain on top.

04-21-2013, 04:36 PM	#5
mikeyg36 Drives: 2015 Z/28 #533 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: NY Posts: 6,732	I'd get the GT500 or the ZL1.

04-21-2013, 06:17 PM	#6
Stack4 Drives: 2014 SW 2LT/RS M6 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: United States Posts: 206	I've always thought the Stage 3's were one of the best looking cars out there. You could get the new "Aluminator" option to get either 625 HP or 675 HP (about $8,300).

04-22-2013, 01:05 AM	#13
hognutz Drives: 2013 ZL1 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: tangent or Posts: 2,985	I would get the gt500. The roush is kind of like the callaway camaro to me. they do some good things in some area's and then just leave the brakes and other things alone. Some peopel will like them but the hood is stupid, the brakes are stock, it is still an expensive car. they are just not my cup of tea. I like my my coupe and all but if I had a ZL1 vert I would get a GT500 coupe or vice versa. both cars are just bad so why not have one of each. __________________ 2016 2SS 2020 super duty on 37's

04-22-2013, 09:50 AM	#14
zl1bro Drives: 2013 ZL1 M6 SIM AGM mono stripe Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Boston Posts: 453	I almost bought a Roush a few years back but a bunch of my buddies talked me out of it because of the resale issue. They told me that the Roush mustangs depreciate much faster than the GT500 or the ZL1. One thing is for sure, they are not inexpensive..